Start Here - Literary Analysis - Mrs. Mueller - ENG 102 - The Kite Runner - Spring 2025 - Harold L. Drimmer Library Research Guides at Westchester Community College Library

An interpretation of a literary work or body of work that is debatable.
A conversation with the written text.
An analysis and explication of literary work(s) using literary concepts (theories, devices, etc.)
A thesis that presents and arguable perspective of a literary work.

Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism
Learn more about literary criticism and analysis at the Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab). In particular, consider literary lenses as a way to understand and discuss literature.
Literary Criticism: Questions for a Variety of Approaches
Consider the questions on this list which are organized according to literary lenses. These questions can help you to understand the literature, to discuss it, and to develop a thesis or claim.

Agree or disagree with how:

an author explains an idea
an author defines an idea through the actions of a character
an author feels about an issue or idea
an author establishes the tone of a scene
the importance the author places on a character, character trait, character’s actions/decisions, event or idea
the accuracy of an author’s portrayal of a person, place or thing
the authentic quality of an author’s portrayal of a person, place, time or idea
the success or failure of an author’s image to evoke an emotion or other response from the reader
the effectiveness of the author’s ability to evoke a specific response in the reader
similarities between the manner one author evokes a response and how another author in another text evokes that same response
similarities between the manner one author defines or develops an idea and how another author in another text develops or defines that idea

Mrs. Mueller - ENG 102 - The Kite Runner - Spring 2025: Start Here - Literary Analysis